Emnet Samsara Media launches in-bus screens, Best TV, in Mumbai

Emnet Samsara Media Pvt Ltd (ESMPL) has launched its newly branded in-bus screens on June 5, 2009. The company has branded these in-bus screens as ‘Best TV. The logo and a mascot, ‘Mumbaikar’, was also launched on the occasion. The brand would sport the tagline: ‘Ab Aapke Bus Mein’, which is a pun on the word ‘Bus’.

It may be recalled that ESMPL had bagged the BEST contract to install screens and CCTVs in these buses for 20 years. The contract can be renewed after 10 years.

The screens would thrive primarily on music, for which the company has developed a library of 4,000 songs. Other content would comprise astrological programmes, advertisement-funded programmes – for instance, a fashion show sponsored by a cosmetic brand – in addition to reality shows. For the content, ESMPL has tied up with Celebrities Management Pvt Ltd (CMPL), which runs Music India, one of the leading music channels in India.

So far, about 1,500 buses already have these screens that run entertainment content and advertisements. Later on, the company also has plans to display information about various places in Mumbai, food joints, shopping, Bollywood, travel, etc.

ESMPL plans to complete installation of these LCD screens in nearly 4,000 BEST buses by the year-end. It would also install screens in another 1,000 buses that BEST proposes to buy soon.

Following several incidents of bomb blasts and other terrorist activities in Mumbai, BEST wanted to put CCTVs in these buses for surveillance purposes. That is when ESMPL stepped in to win the contract with the proposal to generate revenues through ads to maintain the CCTVs.

The company has about 50 clients, most of whom are from the entertainment and FMCG sectors.

Speaking on the company’s future plans, Suyash Chaini, Managing Director, ESMPL, said, “Our objective is to install CCTVs in a total of one lakh buses all over India, and maybe abroad as well. We have plans to expand our business to Dubai, Brazil, Vietnam, Australia, where we see a big potential of installing CCTVs and screens.”

ESMPL is promoted by the Chaini family, Emergency Electronic Security (India) Pvt Ltd, Intel Capital, and the Mauritius-based Samsara group of investors.